Lyle, In places where cyclists are rare, drivers are not accustomed to sharing the road with bicycles and often feel they don’t belong on the road making for a more dangerous environment for cyclists. In these localities casual cyclists tend to ride on the sidewalks.

The more cyclists, the more drivers accommodate their presence and the more casual cyclists feel it’s OK to be on the road as it is so commonplace to see cyclists in traffic.

I don’t think the average citizen is aware of how statistically safe or unsafe cycling is but if there are always lots of cyclists in the street it’s is more likely to be regarded as a normal and safe activity.